Jason Lewis: Was Muzzin's Match Penalty Deserved?

I don't think that should have been a penalty at all based on the replays and reasons outlined in the blog, but my fantasy team will gladly take the PIMs.

I'm hoping the Dept. of Player Safety keeps up their ridiculously inconsistent ways and upholds the match penalty but doesn't serve up any supplementary discipline. Since it wasn't a star player getting hurt that part of the ludicrous double standard employed by the NHL should work in Muzzin's favour.

Could have been much worse if Muzzin's skate clipped Gordan's face/neck as they were falling. Scary stuff.

Absurd call.

You know the answer to your headline, Jason: https://en.wikipedia.org/...idge%27s_law_of_headlines

It was an awful call. It was arguably reckless and perhaps deserving of an interference call. But I don't see the word "reckless" anywhere in Rule 2.1. Worse, it altered the course of the game and got the Coyotes back into it and earned them a point. The NHL is great for a lot of reasons, but it is also (at most) the top 4 sport in the States for many other reasons including its inconsistent officiating. If the past is any predictor of the future, though, Muzzin will get a 1-2 game suspension. So stupid.

Where is the intent? His back was to the player as the player was falling. It's unfortunate. This not a match worthy call and no fine should be imposed either.

It wasn't reckless at all. As Sutter said " it's a hockey play" Again I bring up Hedman's elbow on Clifford, there was no suspension and it was intentional.

It wasn't reckless at all. As Sutter said " it's a hockey play" Again I bring up Hedman's elbow on Clifford, there was no suspension and it was intentional.
- arh777

Arguably it was reckless. That's one interpretation you can draw from the play and that's about the worst conclusion you can draw: Muzzin sees Gordon is vulnerable and should have let up a little more. Ok, fine. But intentional? The officials see the Muzzin play and draw a conclusion that simply isn't supported by what played out. He lined up a falling player perfectly so his arse would strike his head? C'mon. No way.

The difference between the Hedman elbow and Muzzin's hit is that the Muzzin play was seen by the officials and actually called. Hedman wasn't called (and probably wasn't seen). So I don't think they are comparable. I also believe the league's discretion is pretty limited in assessing a retroactive fine or penalty where no penalty is called in the game. Since Clifford was injured, however, they might have had that discretion. Who knows? Nothing is consistent with NHL disciplinary department so it is difficult making sense of that circus.

The one thing that stands out for me is that Jake Muzzin is not a dirty player and I agree this is just a good hockey hit gone wrong. There will be no suspensions and likey not even a fine after the review. This is just an unbiased opinion from a fan of neither team.

Arguably it was reckless. That's one interpretation you can draw from the play and that's about the worst conclusion you can draw: Muzzin sees Gordon is vulnerable and should have let up a little more. Ok, fine. But intentional? The officials see the Muzzin play and draw a conclusion that simply isn't supported by what played out. He lined up a falling player perfectly so his arse would strike his head? C'mon. No way.

The difference between the Hedman elbow and Muzzin's hit is that the Muzzin play was seen by the officials and actually called. Hedman wasn't called (and probably wasn't seen). So I don't think they are comparable. I also believe the league's discretion is pretty limited in assessing a retroactive fine or penalty where no penalty is called in the game. Since Clifford was injured, however, they might have had that discretion. Who knows? Nothing is consistent with NHL disciplinary department so it is difficult making sense of that circus.
- Only_A_Ladd

Carter is day to day according to DL so that's some good news.

Carter is day to day according to DL so that's some good news.
- arh777

Total relief. His extended absence would mean big trouble.

it was the wrong call. no doubt about it. the refs have a difficult task of trying to determine stuff in real time, which can be almost impossible to do. unfortunately it got the coyotes a point they wouldn't have had otherwise. Having said that, I've been very impressed with their team this year. Should be a force to reckon with in the future with some of their young stars. It's just not quite their time yet.

Had he stood upright and been checked the refs would've called something because any hard hit, even clean ones, get a call nowadays. It looked violent and the head took the brunt of the impact so I can understand the call that was made but it should be rescinded.

Although I'm sure I'll hear a chorus of "dinosaur thug", here goes: players still have at least some obligation to protect themselves on the ice, meaning they can't simply jump into any situation and expect the other team to make their "safety" their top priority. In this case, Gordon dropping to a knee to play the puck as Muzzin moves in to check him is at least as "reckless" as Muzzin's play.....At worst I can see an interference penalty on Muzzin, and the kind of awkward contact that sometimes happens when great athletes careen around a sheet of ice chasing a hunk of rubber. To see any intent or even mildly "reckless" play on Muzzin part is absurd.

Have to point out that when I started watching hockey these types of plays rarely happened, as tough guys willing to pay the price would battle other tough guys, and the less physical players knew enough to stay out of the danger areas. Players like Jean Ratelle, Rod Gilbert and Paul Henderson had long and effective careers but rarely ventured along the boards or in front of the net, those areas were reserved for guys who were willing to give and take and knew how to protect themselves. However, over time you started seeing little guys turn their backs along the boards, get planted and draw penalties instead of being told by the refs to learn to protect themselves or get off the ice. And guys who were truly "reckless" would eventually be run out of the league.

Hope that a balance of player safety and physical play can still be achieved, but the players have to do their part as well....Heads up, and if you want to stand next to the boards with your back turned, or fly through center ice without expecting to be hit, perhaps you're playing the wrong sport.....

Let the dinosaur chants begin !

The only thing I would say is that Muzzin launched himself and didn't try and minimize contact. If he made any attempt to twist out of the way or not launched into Gordon then I'd say yeah, bad call, but he didn't. He tried to go straight through Gordon, it's unfortunate he hit his head first, but still, that's a player in a vulnerable position and you have to try and not do that.

Those were bad examples. The hit on McQuaid was because it was Matt Cooke, the hit on Eriksson, while a little worse, was because it was John Scott. The Mike Rupp one was a little better, but how about this one?



Surely that's match penalty and suspension worthy.

Edit: Damn auto correct on Muzzin.

Although I'm sure I'll hear a chorus of "dinosaur thug", here goes: players still have at least some obligation to protect themselves on the ice, meaning they can't simply jump into any situation and expect the other team to make their "safety" their top priority. In this case, Gordon dropping to a knee to play the puck as Muzzin moves in to check him is at least as "reckless" as Muzzin's play.....At worst I can see an interference penalty on Muzzin, and the kind of awkward contact that sometimes happens when great athletes careen around a sheet of ice chasing a hunk of rubber. To see any intent or even mildly "reckless" play on Muzzin part is absurd.

Have to point out that when I started watching hockey these types of plays rarely happened, as tough guys willing to pay the price would battle other tough guys, and the less physical players knew enough to stay out of the danger areas. Players like Jean Ratelle, Rod Gilbert and Paul Henderson had long and effective careers but rarely ventured along the boards or in front of the net, those areas were reserved for guys who were willing to give and take and knew how to protect themselves. However, over time you started seeing little guys turn their backs along the boards, get planted and draw penalties instead of being told by the refs to learn to protect themselves or get off the ice. And guys who were truly "reckless" would eventually be run out of the league.

Hope that a balance of player safety and physical play can still be achieved, but the players have to do their part as well....Heads up, and if you want to stand next to the boards with your back turned, or fly through center ice without expecting to be hit, perhaps you're playing the wrong sport.....

Let the dinosaur chants begin !
- jkaflagg

I totally agree with that, however, that's not how the rules are nowadays. The onus is on the hitter to not hit a player in a vulnerable spot.

The only thing I would say is that Muezzin launched himself and didn't try and minimize contact. If he made any attempt to twist out of the way or not launched into Gordon then I'd say yeah, bad call, but he didn't. He tried to go straight through Gordon, it's unfortunate he hit his head first, but still, that's a player in a vulnerable position and you have to try and not do that.

Those were bad examples. The hit on McQuaid was because it was Matt Cooke, the hit on Eriksson, while a little worse, was because it was John Scott. The Mike Rupp one was a little better, but how about this one?



Surely that's match penalty and suspension worthy.
- Wetbandit1

Suspend Brown for the season...so long as he doesn't count against the cap.

I'm sure that it wasn't deliberate. Muzzin just happens to be a dumb, careless player, and such players do things like this now and again. Brown is another one. These kinds of things happen when you rush into things without thinking, something that Muzzin excels at, whether it's going for the big hit or the pinch at the wrong time. He didn't deserve the match penalty, but he still has no one to blame but himself for putting the officials in the position of determining that.

I'm sure that it wasn't deliberate. Muzzin just happens to be a dumb, careless player, and such players do things like this now and again. Brown is another one. These kinds of things happen when you rush into things without thinking, something that Muzzin excels at, whether it's going for the big hit or the pinch at the wrong time. He didn't deserve the match penalty, but he still has no one to blame but himself for putting the officials in the position of determining that.
- Osprey

Tell us your views on bias in statistical analysis again.

I don't care what anyone says, I love the hit that Brown put on Couture and still maintain that while he may have went right up to the line it didn't cross it, barely.. There are angles where it looks worse (like the one from behind Brown) but whatever.

I didn't think the Muzzin hit was dirty either. I think a lot of people see hits from Brown or any Kings player and automatically assume it's dirty. People still show the hit on Rozsival and say that was dirty, or the hit on Hertl, which even the Sharks announcers after taking another look agreed it wasn't intentional. People see what they want to see.

And yes, I know obviously I'm biased and will have a tendency to see a hit by a King as clean.

Not even a penalty.

Not even a penalty.
- KOPI-STAR

No further discipline for Muzzin. He's playing tonight. http://www.latimes.com/sp...uzzin-20151227-story.html

Tell us your views on bias in statistical analysis again.
- Only_A_Ladd

#FreeSlava